March 28, 2013 (Whistler Olympic Park, BC) – Canada’s top cross-country ski sprinters, Daria Gaiazova and Len Valjas, put on a show in front of the country’s Nordic community by winning the classic-ski sprint titles at the Haywood Ski Nationals on Thursday in Whistler, B.C.

Women's podium (l-r) Jones 2nd, Gaiazova 1st, Marshall 3rd © James Cunningham

Gaiazova, of Banff, Alta., won her second national crown in as many races. Recognizing the importance of competing at the premiere domestic race, the 29-year-old Olympian held off her teammates and a surge from Swiss athlete, Bettina Gruber, to cross the line first.

“I think it is so important for us athletes on the World Cup team to come home and race at Nationals. Everyone here is up early on the weekends cheering us on and I just think it is so important to be here racing with the kids,” said Gaiazova, who captured a bronze medal this year in the team sprint with Perianne Jones. “I had a bit of a change in my training this year. I think it was the little bit of shuffling I needed to spice things up a bit and its been working out.”

Valjas leads Open Men's A Final on Canada Corner © Claudia Van Wijk

While international athletes could not stand on the national podium, Perianne Jones, of Almonte, Ont., was presented with the silver medal. Alysson Marshall, of Salmon Arm, B.C., placed third.

A Canadian sprint giant won the men’s sprint title on Thursday. Toronto’s Len Valjas, who was the bright spot on the men’s World Cup squad this year with three medals, won the sprint title in his lone start at Nationals.

“It’s awesome to be here and fun to race in Canada. Europe gets old after a little while,” laughed the 24-year-old Valjas. “It was a tough year as a team, but we are a very close family. We stuck together and fought it out. You can’t always have the best season, but it is good to be back in Canada.”

Len Valjas celebrates at the finish © James Cunningham

Graham Nishikawa, of Whitehorse, finished second in the men’s sprint, while Phil Widmer, of Banff, Alta., rounded out the podium in the bronze-medal position.

British Columbia’s Sarah Beaudry won the junior women’s sprint, while Quebec’s Ezekiel Williams captured the junior men’s gold medal.

The Haywood Ski Nationals wrap up on Saturday with the distance races.

Qualifications
Final Results
CCUNC Results